On 1 July 2017, the Department of Physics and Materials Science (AP) is officially retitled as the Department of Physics (PHY) to promote the strategic development of the related areas in Teaching, Learning and Research. A new Department logo was designed on the basis of Dr. Sunny Xin Wang’s interpretation of the Traditional Chinese character of “PHYSICS” – 物.
Psi (Ψ, ψ), the 23rd letter of the Greek alphabet, denotes the wave function.
Tau (Τ, τ), the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet, is typically used in Physics to represent various kinds of time (e.g. electron travel time between collisions in Drude model, imaginary time in for Matsubara Green’s function, dimensionless time for the usual theory practice, some kind of broadening in scattering problems etc.).
Psi and Tau signify the core subject of Modern Physics.
勿, the Chinese character, traditionally means a knife and using a knife to dismember a cow, yet, it also carries the meaning of“analyzing according to its nature/character”.
On the other hand, it looks like a person. The presence of human being has substantial meaning in Quantum Physics. When we observe a state, we change the state forever. One of the foremost Physicists of the 20th century, Niels Bohr, has this famous saying:
"For a parallel to the lesson of atomic theory..., we must in fact turn to … that kind of epistemological problems with which already thinkers like Buddha and Lao Tzu have been confronted, when trying to harmonize our position as spectators and actors in the great drama of existence.”
It signifies the relationship between science and humanity, which may reflect in different ways for various people.
1 July 2017